How To Use Another PDF Viewer On Android [Tutorial]

In the Google Play Store, you can find many good, free PDF viewers for your Android phone. It’s up to you which one you want to use, but what if you want to change your default PDF viewer?

This tutorial will tell you how to make another PDF reader app your default. This also works for other apps such as mail apps, image viewers, and more.

Android Default Apps

How do default apps on Android work?

Whenever you open a file for the first time, your Android will ask you with which app you want to open this file type. You are given two options then: “Only once” and “Always”.

If you choose “Only once”, you will be asked again when you open the file. This way, you are individually able to choose the app you need at that exact moment.

If you chose “Always”, however, this will be saved in your phone and this kind of file will always be opened in the app you specified.

Change The Default PDF Viewer

If you found a better PDF viewer, your old one cannot open certain PDF documents or you accidentally chose “Always”, this is how you can change the default app.

There are two different ways we want to have a look at here.

1. Go Straight To The Settings

There, go to apps, open the menu (the three vertical dots), and choose “Reset app preferences”. If you reset the apps and preferences used by your phone, your default apps will be reset as well.

Please note that you would have to set all other app preferences again as well.

2. Use A File Manager

Managing your files on an Android phone is relatively easy, especially if you are using a free file management app. Open the app and navigate to a folder that contains a PDF file.

Tap the PDF and hold until a little menu pops up. Usually, you get the option to “Open with” by your file manager. There, you can choose the app you want for opening PDFs and change the default by enabling the “Remember selection” option.